Detroit Tigers 1972

[moldyoldie]

Woody Fryman was an ace on that team too. Old bunch of Tigers.

Fryman pitched with a left elbow that would probably qualify for Tommy John surgery today. Again, different era.

[originalzzmfmjock]

I remember the 1972 Tigers like it was yesterday. They coulda, shoulda, woulda won that series against the A's, but lost that game 5, 2-1 after a dramatic come from behind win in game 4 the day before. After that win, I didn't think there was any way the Tigers would lose game 5. Shows what I know. The Tigers brought back pretty much the same team in 1973 and was in first place as late as August 14. Brought back most of the old guys for 1974 and were within one game of first place as late as July 5. In the 2nd half of 1974 the bottom dropped out and the teardown of the old team started. Brutal year in 1975 and the Tigers wouldn't see a .500 season again until 1978. That was the year that several of the players who would be the core of the 1984 team would start getting extensive playing time.

[Bobbert]

I remember the 1972 Tigers like it was yesterday. They coulda, shoulda, woulda won that series against the A's, but lost that game 5, 2-1 after a dramatic come from behind win in game 4 the day before. After that win, I didn't think there was any way the Tigers would lose game 5. Shows what I know. The Tigers brought back pretty much the same team in 1973 and was in first place as late as August 14. Brought back most of the old guys for 1974 and were within one game of first place as late as July 5. In the 2nd half of 1974 the bottom dropped out and the teardown of the old team started. Brutal year in 1975 and the Tigers wouldn't see a .500 season again until 1978. That was the year that several of the players who would be the core of the 1984 team would start getting extensive playing time.

I missed that decline because my family moved to Michigan in 1977 and my first full summer of Tiger baseball was 1978. During the Tigers' success over the next decade, people would talk to me about the lean years (1974-1976). It turns out that was nothing compared to the 12-year slide from 1994 to 2005, and the current 6-year slide (2017-2022).

[moldyoldie]

I remember the 1972 Tigers like it was yesterday. They coulda, shoulda, woulda won that series against the A's, but lost that game 5, 2-1 after a dramatic come from behind win in game 4 the day before. After that win, I didn't think there was any way the Tigers would lose game 5. Shows what I know. The Tigers brought back pretty much the same team in 1973 and was in first place as late as August 14. Brought back most of the old guys for 1974 and were within one game of first place as late as July 5. In the 2nd half of 1974 the bottom dropped out and the teardown of the old team started. Brutal year in 1975 and the Tigers wouldn't see a .500 season again until 1978. That was the year that several of the players who would be the core of the 1984 team would start getting extensive playing time.

I missed that decline because my family moved to Michigan in 1977 and my first full summer of Tiger baseball was 1978. During the Tigers' success over the next decade, people would talk to me about the lean years (1974-1976). It turns out that was nothing compared to the 12-year slide from 1994 to 2005, and the current 6-year slide (2017-2022).

It was in '75 when I went away on a two-week summer vacation, only to come back to learn my team was in the midst of a nineteen game losing streak. The influx of youth included such luminaries as Leon Roberts, minor league hitting phenom Danny Meyer, and I think included the arrival of Ron LeFlore. There was also shortstop Tom Veryzer, touted by the organization as the next Honus Wagner, but who had all the on-field presence and charisma of a wet noodle. Ralph Houk was brought in to patiently manage what would be the worst team in memory. It was awful for this committed young adult fan.